Awakening Angels’ lead researcher Dr. Alberto Costa was recently bestowed the National Down Syndrome Congress’s (NDSC) prestigious Christian Pueschel Memorial Research Award. This established award, dedicated to the late son of Dr. Sigmund Pueschel, honors researchers whose contributions and advancements aid and propel society’s understanding of Down syndrome. Sadly, Dr. Costa will be the last researcher to receive the award directly from the hands of Dr. Pueschel. We have recently learned that Dr. Pueschel died Sept. 2, at the age of 82 years, leaving behind an amazing legacy of accomplishments toward the betterment of the quality of life of those with Down syndrome.
The connection between Dr. Costa and Dr. Pueschel predate the award by more than a decade. The two met in 1998, and instantly became good friends. In 2001, Dr. Pueschel asked Dr. Costa to write a chapter for the second edition of his classic book A Parent’s Guide to Down Syndrome: Toward a Brighter Future, which has been used as a tool for parents and professionals alike in further understanding Down Syndrome. As a consequence of this collaboration, the second edition of The Parent’s Guide (as it is frequently referred to in parent community) ends with a chapter contribution by Dr. Costa, which touches on the promise of biomedical research and the future of Down syndrome.
